register now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","post_title":"AMA Executive in Residence Program","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"ama-executive-in-residence-program","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-02-06 14:20:10","post_modified_gmt":"2026-02-06 20:20:10","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_event&p=221720","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_event","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":225478,"post_author":"230453","post_date":"2026-03-02 11:29:23","post_date_gmt":"2026-03-02 17:29:23","post_content":"\nMarketers have long recognized that customers acquired through referrals tend to be more loyal and valuable. What has remained underappreciated, however, is the additional value these customers may generate through their future referral behavior. In their <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241257886/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent Journal of Marketing Research<\/em> article<\/a>, Rachel Gershon (University of California, Berkeley) and Zhenling Jiang (University of Pennsylvania) uncover a \u201creferral contagion\u201d and show that referred customers are not just more profitable but also more likely to refer others, setting off a multiplier effect that many firms have overlooked so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-beyond-acquisition-the-hidden-downstream-value-of-referrals\">Beyond Acquisition: The Hidden Downstream Value of Referrals<\/h2>\n\n\n\nReferral programs are ubiquitous, from ride-sharing and food delivery apps to fintech platforms and online retailers. Typically, marketers have evaluated these referral programs by counting how many new customers they bring in and how much revenue those customers generate. Gershon and Jiang argue that this approach severely underestimates the true value of referral programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAcross multiple field data sets, they show that referred customers make between 31% and 57% more referrals than those acquired through other channels. When these secondary referrals are ignored, firms end up undervaluing the total worth of a referral by 20% to 36%. The authors demonstrate this referral contagion across a wide range of industries, including finance, software, and retail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-referrals-spread-the-role-of-social-appropriateness\">Why Referrals Spread: The Role of Social Appropriateness<\/h2>\n\n\n\nGershon and Jiang show that referred customers are more likely to refer others because the act of referring feels more socially appropriate to them. Drawing on insights from social psychology, they find that when people see someone else refer, they interpret the behavior as socially acceptable, reducing the fear of seeming too pushy or self-interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn several controlled experiments, participants who imagined joining an app through a friend\u2019s referral rated the act of referring as more appropriate, felt lower psychological discomfort, and were significantly more likely to make referrals themselves compared to those who imagined joining through an ad. This effect was stronger when the referrer was a friend rather than an influencer, emphasizing that personal recommendations drive the norm of appropriateness more than celebrity endorsements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-power-of-a-simple-nudge-you-were-referred-in-now-refer-your-friends\">The Power of a Simple Nudge: \u201cYou Were Referred In \u2013 Now Refer Your Friends!\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nTo translate their insights into practice, the authors conducted a large-scale field experiment with over 10 million referred customers. A simple tweak made all the difference: instead of a generic \u201cRefer your friends!\u201d<\/em> message, half the customers received a reminder tied to their own experience: \u201cYou were referred in \u2013 now refer your friends!\u201d<\/em> The message activated the existing social norm, made referring feel more appropriate, and ultimately boosted referrals by more than 20%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\nA simple tweak made all the difference: instead of a generic \u201cRefer your friends!\u201d<\/em> message, half the customers received a reminder tied to their own experience: \u201cYou were referred in \u2013 now refer your friends!\u201d<\/em> The message activated the existing social norm, made referring feel more appropriate, and ultimately boosted referrals by more than 20%.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThe study illustrates the value of industry\u2013research collaborations. Companies gain evidence-based insights that go beyond intuition, while researchers gain access to real-world data and the opportunity to test ideas at scale. We reached out to the authors to learn more about the inspiration behind their work and what their results mean for managers. In the conversation below, Gershon and Jiang share their perspective on how referral contagion works, how firms can capture its full value, and where future opportunities lie for practitioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What first sparked your interest in exploring the \u201creferral contagion\u201d?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: The idea emerged from our observation of a robust pattern in our dataset: referred customers were substantially more likely to refer others. We found this pattern both intriguing and theoretically meaningful. When reviewing the literature, we saw that prior research had largely overlooked this downstream consequence of referral behavior, which inspired us to systematically investigate what we later termed \u201creferral contagion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Your research shows that referred customers don\u2019t just buy more, they also refer more. Based on this, how should managers rethink how they measure the total value of their referral programs? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: While prior studies have examined the direct<\/em> benefits of referred customers (such as higher loyalty and spending), they have largely overlooked their indirect<\/em> impact through subsequent referrals. Managers should incorporate these downstream effects into how they assess the value of referral programs, including it in metrics like customer lifetime value (CLV) and the effective ROI of referral incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: A simple reminder to referred customers can boost referrals by about 21%. Where might this nudge stop working, and how could marketers adapt it in practice?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: Reminding customers that they were once referred signals that referring is appropriate. Making this social norm salient increases referral behavior. We expect this nudge to be effective in scenarios where psychological barriers prevent customers from making referrals, likely extending across different product categories, tie strengths, and incentive types. Exploring how these factors shape the effectiveness of the reminder presents an interesting direction for future research.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Referral contagion seems relevant beyond business, such as in public health. How might your findings inform policymakers?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: The idea of referral contagion naturally extends beyond business contexts. For policymakers in public health systems, this means that investments in referral-based outreach could have a multiplier effect, as those who are referred become more likely to refer others. Programs could be strengthened by highlighting that referring others is common and appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Your research relies on large-scale field data and company collaboration. What challenges did you face in building these partnerships and collecting real-world data at this scale?<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: We began by reaching out to a wide range of potential field partners. It\u2019s a numbers game: we cast a wide net and had many conversations until we found organizations whose interests and data aligned with our research goals. We were fortunate to identify three enthusiastic and collaborative partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What do marketing managers gain from working with academic researchers, and vice versa?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA: Collaborations are most valuable when both sides view them as a valuable exchange. For managers, they offer a chance to go beyond intuition and understand what drives customer behavior, grounded in careful experimentation and analysis. For researchers, they provide access to rich data and the opportunity to test ideas in real-world settings. Collaborations reveal the challenges of translating theoretical insights into practice and how organizational constraints, competing priorities, and practical considerations shape what\u2019s possible. Working with firms often challenges our assumptions and helps us refine our theories to be more relevant and impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nSource:<\/strong> Rachel Gershon and Zhenling Jiang (2024), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241257886/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Referral Contagion: Downstream Benefits of Customer Referrals<\/a>.\"\u00a0<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/em>,\u00a062 (1), 97\u2013116. doi:<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241257886/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/00222437241257886<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGo to the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Referral Contagion: Capturing the Full ROI of Referral Programs","post_excerpt":"A Journal of Marketing Research study shows that referred customers go on to make between 31% and 57% more referrals than those acquired through other channels, revealing a simple way for marketers to attract more referrals overall.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"referral-contagion-capturing-the-full-roi-of-referral-programs","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-03-02 11:50:13","post_modified_gmt":"2026-03-02 17:50:13","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=225478","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":221837,"post_author":"229343","post_date":"2026-02-10 08:59:11","post_date_gmt":"2026-02-10 14:59:11","post_content":"\n\"Immersive services\" are everywhere, from hospitals and eldercare facilities to schools and travel experiences. These services surround consumers, embedding them within structured environments that shape their daily lives. But what happens when these structures limit the consumer\u2019s freedom to make independent choices? A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319312/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> explores this question, uncovering the challenges and opportunities for empowering consumer agency in immersive services.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur research team defines \u201cimmersive services\u201d as those in which consumers are deeply embedded for a period of time, with their experiences largely constructed by the service. This includes industries like healthcare, education, hospitality, and eldercare. We identify four key characteristics of these services that can challenge consumer agency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encapsulation<\/strong>: Consumers are deeply immersed in the service, often separated from other parts of their lives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Positionality<\/strong>: Hierarchies and power dynamics create stark differences between consumers and service providers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protocolization<\/strong>: Rigid routines and protocols dictate consumer behavior.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multivocality<\/strong>: Multiple voices and perspectives within the service influence how consumers are expected to act.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nThese characteristics can make it difficult for consumers to act freely, thus affecting their well-being. For instance, consider healthcare settings where patients are required to follow strict protocols, or eldercare facilities where residents may feel constrained by rigid schedules. As polarization and AI-driven decision making become more common, these challenges are becoming even more pressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe discover, however, that consumers are not passive participants in immersive services. Instead, they actively work to regain their sense of agency through \u201cimprovisations\u201d\u2014creative strategies that allow them to navigate the constraints of the service. Specifically, consumers use five pathways to reclaim agency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expanding the figured world<\/strong>: Shaping their experience on their own terms by exerting control over time and space.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Voicing<\/strong>: Speaking out to challenge rules or advocate for changes in how they are treated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seeking task responsibility<\/strong>: Taking on meaningful tasks to assert independence and purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Challenging protocols<\/strong>: Pushing back against rigid processes to co-create a service experience that better fits their needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Playing and imagining<\/strong>: Using creativity and imagination to reframe their experience and celebrate life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nFor service managers, these findings offer clear strategies to empower consumers while maintaining necessary structure. Two key managerial approaches stand out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leverage technology to expand consumer freedom<\/strong>: Virtual tools and personalized digital platforms can help consumers navigate encapsulation and protocolization by providing more choices and flexibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop empathy-driven relationships<\/strong>: By fostering stronger interpersonal connections, service providers can address positionality and multivocality, helping consumers feel valued and heard.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nWe recommend a two-pronged approach to assess and address gaps in consumer agency. First, managers should analyze how the four structural characteristics\u2014encapsulation, positionality, multivocality, and protocolization\u2014impact consumers. Second, they should evaluate how effectively their services support the five pathways consumers use to regain agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\nImmersive services are critical to modern life, but they must evolve to meet the needs of consumers. By empowering consumers to reclaim their agency, service providers can enhance customer satisfaction, foster loyalty, and improve overall wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nSource:<\/strong> Laurel Anderson, Catharina Von Koshull, Martin Mende, and Johanna Gummerus, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251319312/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Immersive Service: Characteristics, Challenges, and Pathways to Consumer Agency<\/a>,\u201d <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGo to the\u00a0<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Addressing Consumer Well-Being in \"Immersive Services\" like Healthcare, Education, and Hospitality","post_excerpt":"A Journal of Marketing study shows how immersive services that embrace consumer agency benefit from stronger, more loyal customer relationships.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"addressing-consumer-well-being-in-immersive-services-like-healthcare-education-and-hospitality","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-02-10 08:59:15","post_modified_gmt":"2026-02-10 14:59:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=221837","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220645,"post_author":"210445","post_date":"2026-02-02 09:39:22","post_date_gmt":"2026-02-02 15:39:22","post_content":"\nPicture your great\u00b9\u2070\u2070\u2070 grandma crouched by a fire pit 25,000 years ago, deciding whether to eat unfamiliar berries or face starvation. She braves the bitterness, survives, and passes her taste-sensing genes through generations, eventually reaching you. Fast forward to today: you\u2019re ordering an extra-dark roast at Starbucks while your friend frowns over your \u201cbitter\u201d choice. Little do they know, your ancient ancestor might still be calling the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow here's the twist: major genetic testing companies have collected DNA from 30+ million people, including data that reveals the ancestors\u2019 taste legacy in unprecedented detail. Companies can potentially benefit from this genetic treasure. But should they? When does betting on ancient taste make business sense? How can marketers decipher these ancient ties and utilize them in their decision making?<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn a <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241244736/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent Journal of Marketing Research<\/em> study<\/a>, authors Remi Daviet and Gideon Nave analyzed genetic and survey data from 182,212 UK adults, examining 1.5 million genetic variations across seven taste dimensions (bitter, fatty, salty, savory, sour, spicy, and sweet). Their study provides the first large-scale empirical assessment of how genetic information performs against traditional demographic, behavioral, and consumption data in real-world marketing applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe results from Daviet and Nave\u2019s study are remarkably promising: genetic data can predict 10.9% to 12.5% of taste preferences, which is meaningful for business decisions. Genetic data shines brightest for uncommon tastes that don't appear in consumption data, delivering 97% to 233% improvements over traditional methods for flavors like spicy, sour, and bitter. Even familiar tastes saw gains ranging from 28% to 68%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\nGenetic data boosts the prediction accuracy of what customers will crave before they know it themselves, giving companies a first-mover advantage in untapped preferences.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-implications-in-different-contexts\">Implications in Different Contexts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Food\/Beverage Companies:<\/strong> Target customers before they discover niche tastes, especially for products with uncommon flavor profiles. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Healthcare\/Pharma:<\/strong> Develop better-tasting formulations for genetically bitter-averse patients to improve medication adherence. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meal Kit Services:<\/strong> Use genetic screening to curate boxes that match individual taste predispositions, reducing returns and waste. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Government Agencies:<\/strong> Design nutrition programs that align with genetic predispositions rather than fighting against them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nTo explore the real-world implications of this research, we interviewed both authors about the practical questions their findings raise. Our conversation moved from research motivations and surprising discoveries to business cases and implementation strategies, before examining broader industry opportunities and future evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Was there any specific moment, observation, or personal experience that made you think, \"we need to research this?\" Was doing a genetic test the inspiration?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> It was just the right time for this. There is a lot of genetic data that was never available before, and research from twin studies shows many behaviors are heritable and genetics should be informative of them. Although there were a few commercial applications, it's unclear when managers should use this data. We wanted to look for the most basic input to this process, which is how predictive genetic data is relative to other variables. Lastly, as academic researchers, we chose nutrition and diet as our focus because this research can potentially improve people's lives and contribute to social benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> I did genetic testing because I was curious. I actually did it in Europe because they have better consumer protection for genetic data. We examined food taste because it's one of the characteristics that is heavily heritable and relevant. We know that taste preferences are a very strong predictor of consumption. That was a good case study, demonstrating that genetics has an effect and is relevant to predicting consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Were there any surprising or unexpected findings in your study that challenged your initial assumptions? How did the research evolve from the surprising findings?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> We know from past research that genetics is predictive of most behavior to some extent. We were unsure whether genetics would offer predictive value beyond other factors, such as sociodemographic background or consumption patterns. My prediction was that it would add some predictive power to a bit of everything, but that was not the case. There are others where it adds a lot of predictive power, such as tastes like bitter, spicy, or sour, which are not often consumed in the local British diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> For many tastes, we know that there are genetically programmed sensitivities because of known genes. For example, there is a receptor in the tongue that senses spiciness. To our surprise, genes that are known to be related to sensitivity to these tastes do not have a strong effect on preferences. Most of the genetic variants that are predictive cannot be directly linked to a known biological mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> There is a specific gene that can predict how people are sensitive to sourness, whether they can detect sourness in a sample. We were expecting that this would predict well if people like sour or not, but actually not. Instead, the liking is a lot of tiny effects across the genome that accumulate to create the overall taste preference, which is very complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Suppose you were advising a Fortune 500 CEO who's skeptical about investing in genetic marketing. What would be your elevator pitch to convince them this isn't just academic curiosity but a real business opportunity?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> They don't have to invest in marketing, and they can just let the competitor do it and gain a competitive advantage if they prefer. One of the strong advantages of genetics is its ability to identify patterns not revealed in past purchase data. This can help you identify new markets where there is no data, as they are unexplored and lack existing products. It can help you personalize based on different segments, something that traditional data might miss because either there is no data about it or it's at an aggregate level.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Imagine you know what a consumer will need or will love before they even buy it\u2014before they realize it themselves. One example is male balding patterns. This tendency is genetic so that you can predict it from birth. Knowing this allows you to build your brand image among potential customers before they become actual customers. Often, we only reveal certain traits after a while, and having first access is a significant competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: What are the most realistic applications of your findings? For example, if I'm launching a new energy drink, can you walk us through a simple, nontechnical roadmap? What's the step-by-step genetic marketing playbook?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Imagine your energy drink has several flavors: bitter coffee, sweet strawberry, and sour lemon. These tastes are determined by people\u2019s genetic profile, not just demographics. You could partner with a company like Ancestry.com to market to people with a certain flavor preference, without needing to collect the genetic data yourself. The key factor is that the data is very sensitive, and people may react very negatively to its use without their consent. The playbook will be used as carefully as possible, serving as a tool for segmentation and targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Let\u2019s say you want to do a personalized drink, and you can identify key genetic traits such as caffeine metabolism, taste preference, health consciousness, and lifestyle without even having access to the data. You can see how these traits correlate in the genetic data and then tailor your product offering to different profiles and ask genetic companies to do personalized recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Some conditions, like having allergies to certain things or not being able to metabolize certain things, do have a strong genetic signal. Specific products, like lactose-free or alcohol-free versions, sometimes address these needs. There could be small segments that reveal these needs through genetic data.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Beyond taste preferences, what other consumer behaviors have strong genetic components that non-food\/health industries should pay attention to? Which industry do you think is missing the biggest genetic marketing opportunity right now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Behavioral genetics predicts everything to some extent. We can consider experiential services, as well as cultural services such as travel and entertainment. If you know someone's ancestry background, you can tailor your marketing efforts to explore their cultural heritage. Based on genetics, someone might discover they have Latin American ancestry they didn't know of and start exploring that. You can extend to pretty much anything\u2014lifestyle, work.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Nave:<\/strong> Basically, everything is heritable except for the language you speak and the religion you practice. Even aspects such as your likelihood of divorce can be genetically influenced to some extent, as they correlate with specific genetic traits. There could be helpful signals everywhere. The question is when it's stronger, when it's not predictable from other data. That's where genetics comes into play. Beauty and educational attainment have potential, but they're not limited to these.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQ: Please paint us a picture: How do you see genetic marketing evolving over the next 10 years?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDr. Daviet:<\/strong> Epigenetics might be easier. Epigenetics looks at how molecules attach to DNA and change gene expression, which evolves throughout life and provides a lot of additional information. Without the need for sampling one million people, and because it evolves over life, it's more accurate. Currently, some companies are working in that field, and what's trendy is biological age. Maybe you're 25, but biologically, are you closer to 30 or 20? I could see an opportunity there because it's more accessible, informative, and growing. Since it's less complicated to gain insight from, it might be more sustainable on the business side, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur conversation revealed that genetics work best for \"hidden\" preferences not shown in purchase data, and surprisingly, the authors noted that \"basically everything is heritable except language and religion,\" which opens up endless possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, this raises critical questions: If genetic data can have such promising predictive power, where do we draw the ethical lines? For a comprehensive framework on the promise and perils of genetic marketing, read Dr. Daviet, Dr. Nave, and Dr. Wind's essential guide, \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//0022242920980767/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genetic Data: Potential Uses and Misuses in Marketing<\/a>.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\">References<\/h4>\n\n\n\nRemi Daviet, Gideon Nave, and Jerry Wind (2021), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//0022242920980767/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Genetic Data: Potential Uses and Misuses in Marketing<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em>, 86 (1), 7\u201326.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRemi Daviet and Gideon Nave (2024), \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222437241244736/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Value of Genetic Data in Predicting Preferences: A Study of Food Taste<\/a>,\" <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em>, 61 (6), 1116\u201331. <\/p>\n\n\n\nGo to the <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing-research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing Research<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","post_title":"Should Your Business Bet on Great\u00b9\u2070\u2070\u2070 Grandma's Taste Using Genetic Data?","post_excerpt":"This Journal of Marketing Research study shows how genetic data can significantly improve prediction of taste preferences above traditionally used metrics like demographics, behavioral variables, and even past consumption.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"should-your-business-bet-on-great%c2%b9%e2%81%b0%e2%81%b0%e2%81%b0-grandmas-taste-using-genetic-data","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-02-04 17:29:48","post_modified_gmt":"2026-02-04 23:29:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=220645","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":209400,"post_author":"21","post_date":"2026-01-23 15:10:06","post_date_gmt":"2026-01-23 21:10:06","post_content":"\n<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////journals.sagepub.com//toc//ppoa//44//2/">Journal of Public Policy & Marketing<\/a><\/em> recently featured a research dialogue on the topic of disability, accessibility, and marketplace inclusion, with a focus on inclusive design: \"a design process where products, services, spaces, and platforms are created to be usable by as many people as possible, without requiring specialized adaptations\" (<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251315371/">Lteif et al. 2025<\/a>, p. 214). This page highlights these five pieces and offers a teaching toolkit on the topic of inclusive design, with 25 mini case studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-article\">Article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-creating-equity-by-design-a-conceptual-framework-for-marketplace-inclusion-by-lama-lteif-helen-van-der-sluis-lauren-g-block-luca-cian-vanessa-m-patrick-and-maura-l-scott\">Creating Equity by Design: A Conceptual Framework for Marketplace Inclusion, by Lama Lteif, Helen van der Sluis, Lauren G. Block, Luca Cian, Vanessa M. Patrick, and Maura L. Scott<\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the need to reduce inequalities based on disability to ensure a life of dignity for all. However, the marketplace has yet to fully address the needs of consumers who experience systemic choice restrictions and daily barriers due to disabilities. This article offers a conceptual framework that identifies sources of sensory, cognitive, behavioral, and social (mis)matches in a consumer's journey, leading to perceptions of marketplace inclusion or exclusion. The authors examine the role of inclusive design in facilitating the alignment of abilities and its impact on consumer well-being and firm profitability. The article concludes with a stakeholder-focused inclusive design research agenda at the intersection of public policy, firm strategy, and consumer well-being. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251315371/">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-commentaries\">Commentaries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-disability-as-identity-advancing-innovation-through-hearing-ability-diversity-by-oden-h-groth-michael-janger-and-diogo-hildebrand\">Disability as Identity: Advancing Innovation Through Hearing Ability Diversity, by Oden H. Groth, Michael Janger, and Diogo Hildebrand<\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe authors address the issue of disability identity through the lens of their research on Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251316662/">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-neurodiversity-perspective-on-fostering-marketplace-inclusion-by-bridging-ability-mismatches-by-josephine-go-jefferies-meredith-rhoads-timothy-j-vogus-cinthia-b-satornino-and-alicia-a-broderick\">A Neurodiversity Perspective on Fostering Marketplace Inclusion by Bridging Ability Mismatches, by Josephine Go Jefferies, Meredith Rhoads, Timothy J. Vogus, Cinthia B. Satornino, and Alicia A. Broderick<\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe authors build Lteif et al.'s framework by offering a neurodiversity-informed perspective. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251316656/">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fostering-marketplace-inclusion-health-equity-implications-by-monica-c-labarge-and-kameron-block\">Fostering Marketplace Inclusion: Health Equity Implications, by Monica C. LaBarge and Kameron Block<\/h5>\n\n\n\nIn this commentary, the authors extend Lteif et al.'s model to focus on the health equity implications consumers, organizations, and policy makers. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251316646/">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-comments-on-creating-equity-by-design-by-allyce-c-torres\">Comments on Creating Equity by Design, by Allyce C. Torres<\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe author discusses Lteif et al.'s piece from the perspective of her work with <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////disabilityin.org///">Disability:IN, a nonprofit resource for disability inclusion. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//07439156251321026/">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-teaching-resource-starter-kit-and-25-mini-case-studies-for-classroom-use\">Teaching Resource: Starter Kit and 25 Mini Case Studies for Classroom Use<\/h2>\n\n\n\nVanessa Patrick (<a href=https://www.ama.org/topics/academic-research/\"mailto:vpatrick@uh.edu\">vpatrick@uh.edu) has created a comprehensive, modular teaching resource designed to help instructors integrate inclusive design into marketing and business education. The flip book combines conceptual foundations<\/strong>, research-based frameworks<\/strong>, pedagogical guidance<\/strong>, and 25 concise, real-world mini case studies<\/strong> that can be flexibly deployed across undergraduate, graduate and executive classrooms. <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//2026//01//23//teaching-inclusive-design-starter-kit-and-25-mini-case-studies-for-classroom-use///">Access here<\/a><\/p>\n","post_title":"Inclusive Design","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"inclusive-design","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-01-23 15:10:10","post_modified_gmt":"2026-01-23 21:10:10","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=209400","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":219752,"post_author":"228122","post_date":"2026-01-23 13:08:23","post_date_gmt":"2026-01-23 19:08:23","post_content":"\nThis is a comprehensive, modular teaching resource designed to help instructors integrate inclusive design into marketing and business education. The flip book combines conceptual foundations<\/strong>, research-based frameworks<\/strong>, pedagogical guidance<\/strong>, and 25 concise, real-world mini case studies<\/strong> that can be flexibly deployed across undergraduate, graduate, and executive classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe resource reframes inclusive design not as a niche or compliance-driven activity, but as a strategic marketing orientation that improves consumer well-being, expands markets, and enhances firm outcomes. The deck is deliberately structured to move instructors and students from why inclusive design matters<\/em>, to how inclusive design works<\/em>, to what it looks like in practice across industries<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis resource functions as (1) a starter kit<\/strong> for instructors new to inclusive design, (2) a modular teaching tool<\/strong> for experienced faculty, and (3) a bridge between research, practice, and pedagogy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-grey-300-background-color has-background\">\nClick below to view the flipbook:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////online.flippingbook.com//view//713084886///" class=\"fbo-embed\" data-fbo-id=\"2536de0017\" data-fbo-ratio=\"3:2\" data-fbo-lightbox=\"yes\" data-fbo-width=\"100%\" data-fbo-height=\"auto\" data-fbo-version=\"1\" style=\"max-width: 100%\">Inclusive Design Examples<\/a><script async defer src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////online.flippingbook.com//EmbedScriptUrl.aspx?m=redir&hid=713084886\%22><\/script>\n

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